Golf Scenario - what is the rule?

[villages07]

Played Bogart yesterday, nice new fluffy sand in the bunkers. On #9 hit a nice lofty tee shot that was, alas, a bit off to the left and hit the top of the sand on the fly. Totally buried...couldn't even see the top of the ball.

When I got to the bunker, there were two round impressions in the same area... at first glance I had no way to know which one hid my ball.

Not being a total golf purist, I rooted under the surface til I found my ball and fluffed it up a bit to make it hittable.

But, I am curious... what is the rule if you totally cannot see your ball in a bunker and have to search to find it, much less hit it?

[Paulz]

Gently move the sand around until you can identify your ball. Once identified recreate the lie (bury it) and play it or option 2 would be to drop it within one club length no closer to the hole (within the bunker) and proceed with a one stroke penalty. I suggest option 2.

[ajbrown]

The following explains it. From the sounds of yours it may have been unplayable. In that case you lift the ball, take a penalty stroke and drop the ball in the bunker. I have lost balls in lips of bunkers, quite a bad break....

Here is the USGA site for that rule:
USGA: Rules and Decisions (http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-12/)

Here is an excerp:
a. Searching for or Identifying Ball Covered by Sand
If the player’s ball lying anywhere on the course is believed to be covered by sand, to the extent that he cannot find or identify it, he may, without penalty, touch or move the sand in order to find or identify the ball. If the ball is found, and identified as his, the player must re-create the lie as nearly as possible by replacing the sand. If the ball is moved during the touching or moving of sand while searching for or identifying the ball, there is no penalty; the ball must be replaced and the lie re-created.

In re-creating a lie under this Rule, the player is permitted to leave a small part of the ball visible.

[villages07]

AJ...thanks, that answers it perfectly. Glad to see there is a reasonable rule for the situation.